It’s hard for some to imagine life without a motorcycle. I’m one of them. It’s also hard for some to imagine a life without children. And again – I’m one of them. In fact, I’m one of those people who’ve always seen motorcycles in the driveways of families and I’ve always been impressed by the number of motorcycle riding tots I’ve waved to. Being a life-long fan of motorcycles, it just seemed so natural – so right – and yeah – kind of cool. But you know what? Everybody doesn’t see it that way.

All the child-aged motorcycle riders I’ve spoken to seemed simply delighted to sit atop such a powerful machine and a few of them have declared that it’s much more fun than riding on a roller coaster or some other crazy carnival ride. But some people say it’s too dangerous and at times, even I have to wonder about it. Accidents do happen. But then again, accidents don’t happen. I mean accidents don’t happen ALL the time the way that certain anti-riders want us to believe. So what is the motorcycle community to do? Live in fear? Subconsciously teach our kids that motorcycles aren’t safe to ride? I don’t think so. That would only make us look like hypocrites in the eyes of curious children.

Obviously, the smart thing to do is to not only protect children on motorcycles but to protect them well. There are plenty of manufacturers who make helmets for kids and there are probably just as many that make tot-sized bikes for four and five year olds! As long as the little ones are appropriately dressed with long sleeved shirts and pants, I see absolutely nothing wrong with taking children along for a ride and for one of the most freeing experiences in the world.

Any child who can ride a regular bicycle without training wheels should be old enough to ride a motorcycle with an adult – and the lower the motorcycle, the safer. Motorcycles that ride low to the ground, like a 50 for example aren’t that fast and they’re easier for a child to get on and off of.

Of course, like I said earlier, accidents do happen. I’ve seen more than a few young teens lose control and crash their motorcycles – probably due to panic and giving their bikes the gas instead of the brakes. So it’s probably safe to say that no child under the age of 18 should be able to ride a motorcycle without proper safety equipment and parental supervision. I’m not talking about children riding motorcycles on the street – it’s illegal for children to ride a motorcycle on the street anyway. I’m talking about anywhere — even on dirt or motorcycle trails.

Even in places that are set up for children and motorcycle fun, safe equipment and parental supervision is a must because like I said, I’ve seen kids make some pretty silly (and potentially life threatening) mistakes. They need bikes that are designed for rough motorcycle trails and they need helmets that fully cover their faces. One of the most common accidents that young kids have on motorcycles is bumping their chin or mouth on the bike’s handlebars.

When kids ride a motorcycle with an adult, law dictates that the adult must be licensed to operate a motorcycle. Period. And even though kids may ride with an law-abiding, responsible, and experienced adult, they should always wear a fitting helmet and ride in the back no matter how long or short the ride is – but especially on the highway. I’m not one to dictate what someone else should do — I can only give my two cents. But I couldn’t take a young child across a long highway. I’m just not comfortable with that mostly because I know how risky it is for adults alone.

I’ve also seen some dangerous motorcycle situations created from kids riding with other kids. Aside from the extra weight that and additional person adds onto a motorcycle, nothing makes a kid want to showoff more than when another child is around and showing off is a common predecessor to accidents.

Operating and riding a motorcycle is fun. But it can be dangerous too – especially for children. As adults, we have a unique responsibility. On one hand we need to keep children safe around motorcycles, yet on the other hand we need to keep the riding experience one that children will grow to love, learn from, and respect at the same time. We want to build good motorcycle memories for our children and I believe these things can be achieved with responsible behavior, lots of experience, and loving care.

Motorcycle clubs seem to have been around for ages – According to many, the first motorcycle club in the United States was the Yonkers Motorcycle Club from New York, formed in early 1903. But it was until the 50s that motorcycle clubs really hit the scenes in major.

Even though Motorcycle Clubs have frequently been portrayed in the media as groups of crazy people and some times even as criminals, the reality is that most clubs (past and present) are simply an avenue for people to share like interests and to enjoy the open road.

There are dozens of motorcycle clubs in the U.S., Canada and around the world with membership into the hundreds. But not all motorcycle clubs are large – some consist of just a few riders. And they’re not all as exclusive or open as you might expect. They vary from admitting anyone (even those who don’t even own a motorcycle) to admitting only riders who ride a specific brand of bike, who belong to a specific profession, who come from a specific region or any other type of qualification.

A lot of motorcycle clubs are formed around a profession and some very strong examples are motorcycle clubs with military, ex-military, and police force members. Since motorcycles have been used in the military and in police work for more than 80 years, it’s only reasonable to expect that members would build a club around similar interests.

Harley-Davidson motorcycle clubs for example admit Harley-Davidson fans only. The bond that holds everyone in this motorcycle club together is the mutual enthusiasm and respect for one of the most popular bike manufacturer in the world.

As an excellent support team, members of motorcycle clubs help each other maintain and/or enhance their bikes as well. So if you were a member, and you wanted to get a clutch for a 1912 V-twin or a carburetor for a 1937 Knucklehead for instance, you could rest assured that someone in the club knows where to get one.

There are a countless number of motorcycle clubs: the Saskatchewan MC that explores Canada’s back roads, the Brothers of the Bike (Daytona, Florida) are known to zoom along the coast, and the Vespa Riders of Rome that gather along the Via Veneto each summer, just to name a few.

Are you female? Motorcycle clubs aren’t exclusive to men. The Women on Wheels Motorcycle Association has over a hundred chapters around the U.S. and Canada, and even one in Switzerland. Women-run motorcycle clubs are just as active as any other and busy with planning events, mapping routes and touring the highways in the familiar motorcycle pack.

Now although the clubs may vary, the values and bylaws tend to be that same and built upon common ideas. Basically, everyone looks out for each other both on the road and at home. And sharing knowledge, interests, and talents are key to keeping a motorcycle club meaningful. Examples include best routes, the best places to visit or stay on a tour, where to find the least expensive bike or part, how to get the most out of your bike and riding experience, or how to repair a bike.

There’s just no comparison to the families that form from motorcycle clubs. I highly recommend joining one that fits your style and riding skills.

Are you a member of a motorcycle club? Share your thoughts in the comments of this post.